The Portland daily press., 1887-02-15
SOUND TALK.
Mayor Hewitt on the New York
Strikes.

At the annual dinner OF the Stationers'
Board of Trade in New York on Thursday
evening, the following letter was read from
Mayor Hewitt, who was prevented by i'll
ness from attending;
Ny Dear Sir:-I had many reasons for de-
string to attend the dinner Of the stationers
and booksellers, and have held on to hope
until now | see my expectation Is in vain
While have suffered very much in body, L
am much more disturbed by my inability to
do many things which l intended to do. L
do not feel able to even dictate few words
on the influence Of trades organizations in
developing or retarding the prosperity Of this
city. They can do great deal of good, but
they may also be made engines Of mischief.
Just now this city Is suffering and seems
likely to suffer from new form Of despo-
tism by which not only employees but employ
ers are deprived Of free agency, and are made
subject to the control of a secret body, where
situated and of whom composed nobody
seems TO know. l don't believe that the pe0-
pie Of this country, especially its intelligent
wOrkmen, whose right to organization for
mutual advantage no one denies, will con-
tinue long to submit themselves to the in
tOlerable oppression Of strikes, boycOtts and
inability to earn their daily bread at the will
of a secret body whose mandates are given
without explanations, and from whose or
ders there seems to be no appeal.
While would maintain the right of men
to organize in their own way for their own
protection, would insist upon the right OF
the men who do not choose to connect them
selves with associations, but prefer to act as
free lances, II you choose, TO exercise their
undoubted right Of individual choice. Least
OF all Is 1t to be conceded that one set Of men
shall deprive other sets Of men of the right
to labor. Such doctrine simply reduces
free labor to condition Of serfage more in
tolerable even than that which prevailed In
the Middle Ages.
There will be no security until the intelli.
gence of the community is aroused and the
| decision is arrived at on the part OF employ
ers that they will not permit any portion OF
| their men to be coerced or restrained in theiI
| right to join or to refuse to join trade asso-
| Citations / would not discourage such aSsO-
| Citations, but, on the contrary, shall hope to
| see the time when masters, and wOrkmen
| will belong 10 such organizations, intent to
| promote the welfare Of the trade in which
| they are engaged
There may be at times differences of opln-
ion, or even strikes, yet it Is intolerable that
| under any circumstances the business OF the
| whole community shall be arrested because
| some man may imagine that he has a griev-
ance which requires the sacrifice Of thous-
ands Of people in order that he may get right;
that ought to be secured to him by law ant
confirmed in the courts If they be denied. III
/ other words, in this country the only over
/ ruling power Is the law, which expresses the
| will Of the people, and any attempt to estab
| lish any other tribunal than the courts, an(
especially irresponsible and secret tribunals
can only bring on paralysis Of industry anC
the ruin Of the very class whose interests ar,
| at stake. Apologizing for this imperfec
statement Of the views which had hoped /,
expound more at length, am,
Very truly yours,
ADRIAN s. HEWITT